REFURBISHMENT OF RAILROAD CROSSTIES. A TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC ANALYSIS

An analysis of the principal modes of failure for wooden railroad crossties was conducted and an evaluation of the technical and economic feasibility of refurbishing these ties was conducted. Among the principal modes of structural deterioration, only spike-killed tie repair was identified as practically feasible for in-situ treatment. However, once ties were removed from track, the feasibility of an in-plant repair of selected ties was found to be technically feasible for plate-cut and spike-killed ties. Such a repair operation could result in cost savings of 19-50% over the cost of new tie insertion, depending on the nature of the process selected and the assumed salvage value of a "spent" tie. Candidate process plant flow descriptions have been developed and the initial (capital) costs and annual operating costs evaluated. Recommendations for process evaluation are included as a starting point for continued investigations of crosstie reuse.

• Record URL:
  https://railroads.dot.gov/elibrary/refurbishment-railroad-crossties-technical-and-economic-analysis
• 
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Prepared for U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration, Office of Research and Development, Washington, D.C.
• Corporate Authors:

  Stanford Research Institute

  333 Ravenswood Avenue
  Menlo Park, CA  United States  94025
• Authors:
  • Loomis, A V
  • Anyos, T
• Publication Date: 1977-12

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Appendices; Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: 132 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Deterioration; Economic analysis; Equipment replacement; Polymers; Railroad ties; Recycling; Service life; Spikes; Wood preservatives; Wood ties
• Old TRIS Terms: Cross tie deterioration; Tie plugs; Tie replacement; Wooden cross ties
• Subject Areas: Design; Economics; Maintenance and Preservation; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00179262
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Federal Railroad Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: DOT-TSC-FRA-77-29 Final Rpt., FRA/ORD-77/76
• Contract Numbers: RA 75-29
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Aug 19 1978 12:00AM